The Heart of the Beast
by Moonbabe1989
Summary: SereDar & SenshiGenerals Serena Tsukino's Mother has just passed away. She packs up and goes to visit her estranged father at his institute, but he seems different somehow. Not only that, Serena keeps getting the feeling that she's being watched, but by what? CH.3 UPLOADED!
1. Prologue

**The Heart of the Beast**

**Prologue**

_-_**-3-**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon and probably never will... poor me! And I don't own the book "_The Heart of the Beast_" by Carla Cassidy. I just used the plot as inspiration -.-;

_-_**-3-**

The quarter moon shined brightly through the dark silhouette of trees. The house was quite and peaceful at this time of night. A man with dark hair and blue eyes stood looking out the window at the dark forest with a glass of scotch in his right hand. The window panes made dark slashes across his handsome face. He occasionally sipped his drink and continued to look out at the mass of trees, clearly in thought. He turned around at the sound of the tall, wooden double doors of the library swinging open. The only light in the library was the fire from the fire place, casting a gentle glow on the elderly man that walked into the library and over to the bar. He sneered at the older man and watched the he walked, casually, toward the bar that was across the room from the fire place.

"I can't believe you're going to do this to her." He murmured to the man at the bar, still watching him with a guarded expression.

"Why? It's a perfect plan." The other man said as he sipped on his own whiskey, casually stuffing his other hand into his trouser pocket.

"Because," The dark haired man paused, trying to find a way to explain himself. " It's just so inhumane, Damn it!" He finally shouted as he began feeling the same tingly feeling he got every time he got a little angry, "You really are a beast!" The man with the dark hair spat, throwing the glass he had in the fire. The fire blazed with new life, sending the room into an angry orange haze. The color of the bright flames reflected the anger churning in the dark man's stomach.

"Oh, I'm the beast?" The elderly man said, smirking with a haughty expression. The dark-haired man scowled and flew out the back door of the Library. He felt the cool midnight breeze on his heated flesh as he sprinted out into the dark forest he'd just been looking at. Once away from humanity he let the feeling override him. The last human thought he had was, "Why her?"

_-_**-3-**

***A/N:**

Well, I recently (by that I mean a few months ago o_O) got a very nice review from emi, telling me to please continue and how much she liked the story! Firstly, I would like to thank you for your kind words, and secondly I would like to say that I will be finishing this story because I've always hated when authors didn't finish a story. So! These chapters will be tweaked slightly, I think I can add a few more details that would make the story better! So emi, this is just for you, hun! And if you think that the original chapter was better, let me know and I'll take this one down and repost the original!


	2. The Arrival

The Heart of the Beast 

**Chapter 1:** The Arrival

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor moon or the book, "_The Heart of the Beast_" by Carla Cassidy. I just used the plot for inspiration.

_-_**-3-**

"This is as far as I go, ma'am." The taxi driver said politely to the young blonde woman in the back of his cab. Her name was Serena Tsukino, and pretty easy on the eyes. He got out of the car and headed for the trunk. Serena stared at the big iron gates that stood in the path of the road. They looked intimidating and foreboding, looming over her.

"You can't take me a little further?" She asked as she, too, got out of the car and walked to the back to get her luggage. She stared up at the man with her big blue eyes, batting her dark lashes in an attempt to woo the grungy looking cabbie.

"Sorry Ma'am." The driver replied, shaking his head as he put her things on the ground before her, not even sparing her a glance. Clearly, he wasn't moved. Serena looked down at her sandaled feet and sighed. Suddenly she got an idea.

Wiping her hands on her jeans, she pulled her wallet out of her purse and turned back to the driver."I'll pay you more money?" She asked trying to persuade him with a ten-dollar bill. She knew taxi drivers didn't make a whole lot of money to begin with. Grinning up at him, she shook it in front of her slightly.

"Ma'am, a million dollars couldn't get me to pass them gates." He said holding his hand out impatiently for his money. Serena frowned down at his dirty hand and wondered what his problem was.

Slapping the money into his hand, Serena asked, "How long do I have to walk?" and looked at the length of the road ahead of her. Already she felt tired and hot, and walking this road, in the hot sun didn't sound like very much fun. She hated exercise anyways.

"About two miles, maybe three." He said, shrugging and stuffing the money in his pocket, "You'll see the place. It's real big and at the end of the road, surrounded by trees. Just go straight down that road, there." He said, tipping his hat to her and mumbling a good bye.

Serena thanked him and sighed as she made her way to the rusty gates. They looked like they haven't been touched in years, so she bunched up the sleeves of her pink three-quarter sleeved shirt and got ready to use her muscles. Surprisingly they didn't take much effort to get them open, like she had thought. She nearly fell down, surprised at the ease they swung open with. Not even a scary, horror movie creek. She walked through the gates, deftly closing them behind her. Turning to make sure she had all her luggage, she felt a humid breeze brush against her flushed cheeks and move her bangs against her forehead.

Serena had been walking for about an hour and a half. The road was worn and the forests on each side of the road were full of life. The birds sung, happily, to her as she walked by. The leaves rustled as the autumn wind played with them. Autumn had just arrived and she couldn't be happier that the summer heat was finally leaving them. There were still traces of summer during the day, but in the mornings and at night, the heat was gone. She watched as the cool breeze played gently with her long-blonde hair.

It had been two months since her mother had died. Serena thought it would have been nice if she had passed during autumn, since she had loved it so much. Serena loved it too. They used to go to the parks and take picnics. But that was before her mother got ill. Serena had to hold off on teaching her fifth-grade class so she could take care of her mother. Every moment in that house was torture to Serena. She didn't like to see her mother in pain. She didn't want her to suffer, either. Finally, she was put out of her misery, and had died in her sleep. Her last words, Serena will never forget: "He loved us, you know." Of course she was talking about her father. Serena had mourned over her for weeks. She had to move on, but going back to work was the hardest. It was difficult trying to pretend everything was alright when you felt like you had lost our entire world. The thing that comforted her the most was knowing that her mother wasn't in pain anymore.

She had tried to contact her Father, but every letter she sent, was sent right back almost immediately. On the fourth time she had given up, thinking he had moved or something. But a week ago she had received a letter from him. She was surprised when she got it.

It read:_ Dear Serena, I'm so sorry I haven't been able to contact you lately. It's been a little hectic down here at the lab. I'm very sorry to hear that your mother isn't with us anymore. If you'd like, you could come down here and visit us for a while. I'd love your company. _

_Love, Daddy _

Even if it was a tad short, it still made her heart swell with love. She had written back saying she'd love to and she'd be there on Thursday. Well, today was Thursday. And after asking a friend to watch her cat, Luna, she began packing and put in her vacation time at work. She was so excited to see her dad again, she hadn't seen him since he had left Georgia to move to Arkansas when Serena was about five years old. Her mother had always explained that Arkansas was the only state that would allow her father to work the way he needed to, as a Scientist. She said that the fresh air helped him think better, or something along those lines.

Serena stopped abruptly. There wasn't a sound. Not even the wind dared to break the silence. All of a sudden a flock of birds flew out of one area of the woods. Something was scaring them... Serena really didn't want to know what it was, either. Just in case it was something scary. But what could be scary about a woods in Arkansas? But she felt it. Someone or something was watching her. Her clear blue eyes scanned the forest to her right, then the one to her left. She felt the goose bumps raise on her skin, but she wasn't cold. Something wasn't right. She started to walk again, but faster. Trying to get away from the thing that was watching her every move.

_-_**-3-**

Serena sighed in relief as she stared up at the tall mansion that towered in front of her. She had been expecting a house, maybe a really big house but this was definitely considered a mansion. It was made of some kind of brownish-grey stone or brick and had three stories. There was some sort of tower that cuddled the left side of the building, with windows curving along it's shape. Every window on the mansion had drapes, all closed to the sunlight. When the cabbie had said the house was surrounded by trees, he wasn't kidding. The path she had been following eventually stopped and became a grey stone gravel that lead up to the front steps. A cozy, un-shaded patio wrapped around the front part of the house and a little off to the sides. There were no plants, other than the overwhelming amount of trees, and there were no patio chairs.

She walked up to the mahogany door and knocked five times. Half a minute later she heard footsteps clattering in the mansion. Then the door flung open to reveal an elderly woman, maybe in her late forties and early fifties. She had red/brown hair speckled with gray. Brown bored eyes stared down a stiff nose into Serena's bright blue eyes and speckled hands clasped each other in front of a stiff gray dress.

"Are you Miss. Tsukino?" The woman asked, coldly. Serena nodded, "Then, come this way." She ordered leading her into the mansion. To her direct left, when she entered the mansion, was the library. The tall, wooden doors were open and she could see that the room was as tall as the building, complete with a ladder than ran along the walls. There was a fireplace under a mantle with a painting of a lake scene hanging above it. Then further up, to her left, was a huge stair case that led to, what she guessed, were the bedrooms. Then in front of her was a sitting area, hosting another fire place, cream colored lounge chairs and a couch of the same color. Further ahead was the dinning room with a kitchen to the right of it. Everything well spaced apart, with plenty of room for several people to move around without feeling claustrophobic. All the walls were covered in a medium-dark wood, as were the floors. There were various floral printed rugs placed on the floors. There was one in the library, where the chairs and couches were, and in the sitting area, under the chairs and couch again, then one more at the base of the stairs.

The woman led her to the library. "I'm Mrs. Medlock, the house keeper." She said as she let Serena in, "I will go get your father." She said as she motioned for her to sit on one of the chairs cross from the fireplace. She sat and watched Mrs. Medlock disappear down a door in the corner of the room that led to stairs. 'Probably the lab.' She thought as she looked into the fireplace.

A few minutes later Mrs. Medlock came back up and announced that he will be up shortly. And with that, Serena was left alone. She looked around the room. It was tall with shelves and shelves of books. All kinds too. Poetry, mystery, romance, anything you could possibly want. She liked romance the best. She guessed she just hoped something like she would read would happen to her. When she first entered the room she noticed the two chairs in front of the fireplace. What a perfect place to read! To the direct left is the small bar, filled with all kinds of liquors. The chairs were a dark leather. There was a couch to the right, when she entered, made of the same leather as the chairs. The ceiling was high and there was a latter attached to the wall, near the books so people could reach them. The room was a sort of tear drop shape, with only one corner. The other walls were curved, so this must have been the tower-like room she saw on the outside of the house. Serena absently noted the door that cut into the curved wall, near the end of the book self. Everything was sophistically decorated, very nice.

A man with white hair, a matching mustache and blue eyes entered the room. He was a short man, probably a little shorter than Serena and had a round face. He wore a beige sweater-vest, khaki pants and black shoes. He had kind wrinkles where he smiled.

"Daddy!" Serena said as she ran toward her father, giving him a giant hug. He smelt of cigars and a chemical smell that she assumed was from the lab.

He chuckled a fatherly chuckle and patted her back, saying, "It's wonderful to see you too, dear. You've grown since the last time I've seen you." She smiled kindly and looked into his blue eyes. Pulling away from him, somehow he looked different from what Serena remembered. He had a square chin. Hers was pointed. He had Dark blue eyes and he was short. She shook her head, putting those thoughts in the back of her mind. She was with her father now and she was happy to finally have a member of her family back in her life.

_-_**-3-**

***A/N:**

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed and added this story to your favorites last night, thank you all so much I really appreciate it! Secondly, I'd like to say that this is a revised version of the original chapter. I've made a few adjustments, added a few more details, so I hope you can get a better idea of what the house is supposed to look like. I know I said it was more like a mansion than a house, but it feels weird calling it a mansion, so if I call it a house then I'm talking about the same place lol. I'd also like to add that I wont be adding any scenes about Serena turning into Sailor Moon to save the day (although I'd love to!) just because I don't think it fits well with the storyline. Also that it might take away from the main theme of the story, which isn't what I want to do. Anyways, let me know if you liked this chapter better than the original, and if you don't then I'll repost the original chapter. =}


	3. The Meeting

The Heart of the Beast 

**Chapter 2:** The Meeting.

**Disclaimer:** I Don't own Sailor Moon or the book "_The Heart of the Beast_" by Carla Cassidy. I just used the plot as inspiration.

**-3-**

Serena and her father, Kenji Tsukino, sat down on the leather chairs across from the fire. She studied him again, trying to make her memories of him match how he looked today. Obviously, he was much older than when she had last seen him twenty years ago, but there was something else. No matter how hard she stared at him, she couldn't put her finger on it! _'Well, then it must not be that important!'_, Serena thought as she sat down in the chair she had used before he came in.

"So, how has life here been treating you?" She asked, breaking the some-what awkward silence. She hadn't expected their relationship to pick up from when they had left off, but now that she was sitting in front of the man she had missed so badly, she couldn't think of a thing to say!

He chuckled and replied, "So far so good. I'm not dead yet." He said with a wink in her direction, "You too? What do you happen to do for a living?" He asked as he got up and walked to the bar to get a glass of whiskey.

"Umm... I teach fifth grade." She said as he handed her a glass. Serena had never been a fan of whiskey, but he couldn't have really known that. It didn't matter much, though.

"Oh! In the teaching business, eh? Yeah, I thought about doing that but working in the actual field of science is really where my heart was." He said staring into the fire. She had known that his heart belonged to science and everything about it. That was the reason her mother always gave her when she asked where her daddy was. _"He loves us, Buns, but he loves science more."_ She could still hear her mother's voice, even though she's gone.

"Well, It's about dinner time. You ready go get something to eat? I'll bet you're starved after your trip over here. I can also introduce you to the boys?" He asked, placing his hands on his knees to help himself up. She nodded with a smile as he took her drink back to the bar.

Once in the large room, her father took the seat next to the head of the table. She sat to his left and slowly the room filled with people. Her father introduced them as they came in. There were only four other scientists, but they were all nice men. The chairs were filled accept for the one at the head of the table. Mrs. Medlock started the meal, which consisted of lamb chops, mashed potatoes, corn, and a strawberry short cake for dessert. Serena's mouth watered as the house keeper filled her plate, the smell teasing her nose and making her stomach growl. Thankfully no one noticed. Her father beamed at her and began to talk to the man directly across from Serena. His name was Zoisite and he had short, wavey blonde hair that was tied recklessly into a low pony tail. His face was very gentle, and some-what boyish but the intelligence in his light green eyes told her that he was much older than what his face suggested.

"You were making wonderful progress today, but you're having a bit of trouble with that formula aren't you, Zoisite?" Kenji asked, cutting into his pork chop. Surprisingly, Zoisite's light green eyes flashed in annoyance before he responded. Serena couldn't tell if it was annoyance at her father for asking the question the way he did or annoyance at the formula in question. She quickly became lost because she didn't remember any of the terms the scientists were using from any of her science classes in high school. Science was never her strong subject, and it was limited to what she needed to know to teach her class. After every failed science test, she had to ignore the bratty voice in her head that would say, _'Well if daddy had been here to teach me, I would have gotten an 'A' plus!'_

"How do you like the institute, Serena?" Asked Jadeite, a man who a little shy and not as outgoing as Zoisite. He had short, light blonde hair that curled around the nape of his neck and stunning blue eyes. He was very handsome, yet very soft-spoken.

Serena smiled at him and said, "Well, I think its beautiful out here with all the trees and stuff, but I hadn't expected the house to be so big!", she turned to look at her father, "When you'd said house, I wasn't expecting a mansion. It seems like there should be more people here."

Kenji laughed and said, "Yes, well when you live here for as long as I have, the place tends to become like any other house. And these four scientists have just recently joined me in the past couple of months, this place used to be much more deserted." Somehow, Serena had a feeling that she would always feel intimidated by this house. Something about the aura of it was off, but she couldn't place what it was. She remembered that feeling of being watched while walking the road this afternoon. There was something off about this place, but Serena decided to put it behind her and enjoy her time with her father while she could.

Nephrite seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Serena, "This place gives me the creeps. If it weren't for Kenji's extraordinary gift for all things scientific, I would have turned and left the moment I saw this place." His spring green eyes landed on Serena and he smiled at her. He was rather handsome as well, but he gave her that brotherly sort of feeling. Nevertheless, he had the brightest green eyes she had ever seen and lush, wavy brown hair that fell wildly to just below his broad shoulders. He had slightly darker skin than the everyone else, a natural tan that Serena envied.

The man sitting next to Serena let out a chiding chuckle, "Is that why you scream at night?" He was introduced as Kunzite and he had eerie, light blue eyes that could cut diamonds and silvery-blonde hair that fell straight to his shoulders.

Nephrite gave Kunzite a confused glance and said, "I don't scream at night." Kunzite looked back at him with his own confused expression and said, "Surely it is you, it comes from the direction of your room. Not every night, but at least three times a week."

Nephrite shook his head, "No, I don't like this place, but I don't scream about it."

A deep voice suddenly said, "Maybe you're hearing the ghosts, Kunzite?"

Everyone at the table turned to look at the owner of the voice and Serena felt her eyes widen as she took in the features of the most attractive man she'd ever seen. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. He had to be at least six foot, probably a little over, and he was very muscular, looking cramped standing in the doorway. His hair was black and it shined a sultry blue in the light. He also had the darkest blue eyes Serena had ever seen and he was staring at her. Serena blushed, realizing she was also staring, but almost drooling as well. She quickly lowered her eyes and rested them on her forgotten meal.

"Oh Darien, don't be silly, we don't have any ghosts here.", Serena's father said.

"With the stories the walls of this house must have, I'm sure there must be one or two." Darien said as he made himself comfortable at the head of the table. He rested his large forearms on either side of his plate and looked at Serena. He finally said, "So, you're Kenji's daughter." Slightly intimidated by him, Serena just nodded and pretended to be interested in her food.

The conversation once again shifted to science and Serena slowly tuned them out. She was trying very hard to not look at Darien, but it was difficult. He was very handsome and his very presence seemed to demand attention. She noticed that he didn't bother joining in with the other scientists' conversation. Sneaking a peak out of the corner of her eye, she noted the way he seemed to own the seat he was sitting in. He knew he owned it too, confidant that no one would go against him. He seemed to be about Serena's age, maybe a couple years older and very intelligent. Darien's intelligence gleamed from his eyes, as if he were calculating everything. He was looking at her again. Once again, Serena blushed and pushed her food around on her plate. There had never been a moment in her life that could distract her from her beloved food, until now.

After dinner, Serena's father cupped her elbow and led her up the huge stair case and down the hall, to her room. "Now your room is right next to mine, if you need anything..." He trailed off. She felt so warm and happy with her father, this was something she had been looking forward to. Coming to the Tsukino Scientific Institute hadn't just been a little road trip. She was looking forward to filling the void that her father had unknowingly created when he had left.

The room was a nice peach-pink color, very soft. The room could only be described as comfortable, yet country. Directly across from the entrance of the room was a white wardrobe with pink flowers painted on it. On top of the wardrobe was a basket of fresh flowers, different colors and sizes. To the left of the entrance was a fireplace, already lit and warming the room. There were doors on the far side of the room with white, lace curtains that covered them. She could tell that those doors lead to a balcony. To the right of the balcony was the queen sized bed, cradled on a white base that had four carved, wooden poles that stuck up at each corner of the bed. The bedspread was the same peach-pink color and the carpet was a plush cream color. She could see a door in the corner of the room, to the right of the bed. The door was slightly open and she could see a vanity inside, complete with a little vanity stool to sit on. Serena hadn't expected to have her own bathroom, but she was so glad that she did!

Serena's father patted her hand goodnight and left, closing the door behind him. Serena set to unpacking her clothes into the large wardrobe and laying her suitcase right next to it, when she was done. Then, she went out to the balcony to look out at the sun setting in the horizon. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the autumn air. She was tired, but she wanted to enjoy the rest of the evening, reliving all the warm smiles her father had sent her this evening. She was looking forward to spending some quality time with him, anxious to get to know the man that had fathered her.

**-3-**

Darien walked out of the dark forest and saw Serena standing on her balcony. Just looking at the sun set. She closed her eyes and he watched her chest swell with the deep breath she took. He took the opportunity to observe her. She had creamy skin, long blonde hair that was held up in a bun on top of her head. She was thin, and had long legs. Her eyes were a clear blue and she has the most rosy lips. He stepped further forward and stepped on a stick. It snapped under his weight and caught her attention. She met his blue eyes and noticed that they seemed a little lighter, now. _'Why is he over here? Why isn't he inside, with the other men?' _She thought to herself. Serena couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him, but blushed when she realized that she was staring. Ducking her head down, she turned and walked back inside.

Serena walked back in her room, turning to look outside when she closed the doors. He was still standing there, watching her. She felt chills go up and down her spine and she couldn't decide if they were good ones or bad ones. _'I'll have to ask daddy about him tomorrow._' She thought as she stripped to take a bath. The tub was rather large, with paws for the feet of the tub. The water was warm and relaxed her muscles from the stress that was laid on her today. She had to admit she was a little scared that her father wouldn't recognize her. It had been so long since they had seen each other, she had been afraid she wouldn't recognize him either. Although, he did look quite different than she remembered. But that was probably because it had been twenty years since they had seen each other. Serena sighed and finished her bath, ready to get dressed and go to bed.

Before she closed her eyes, she thought back to her silent meeting with Darien earlier. There was something haunted about him and she wasn't sure whether she should soothe the tired lines on his face, or keep her distance.

**-3-**

Darien stood outside, gazing up at her balcony for a few more minutes before he turned as fled through the woods. _'She's an usual woman. I don't know what it is about her.'_ He thought as he ran toward the caves.

**-3-**

***A/N:**

Well here's the second chapter! I hope you all enjoy, and please let me know if I have any spelling or grammar mistakes, I am human. Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	4. Dreams and Wishes

The Heart of the Beast 

**Chapter 3:** Dreams and Wishes.

**Disclaimer:** I Don't own Sailor Moon or the book "_The Heart of the Beast_" by Carla Cassidy. I just used the plot as inspiration.

**-3-**

Serena woke to the peaceful sounds of birds chirping and the early morning sun warming her face. Frowning, she got out of her wonderfully comfortable bed and stretched before going to peer out of the glassed balcony doors. The sun was just rising over the mass of trees and she could already feel that today was going to be a rather warm day for early autumn. This bright, warm day is such a contrast to the cold darkness that had plagued her dreams.

In her dreams, she had been walking lost and cold through the forest by the mansion, confused. She couldn't remember why she was in the forest or when she had stepped into it. The wind constantly whipped her thin nightgown against her body, and goosebumps jumped upon her skin. The trees were taller than skyscrapers and much denser than she remembered them being. Serena could hear her name being called and the voice echoed eerily along the wind. Every time her name was called, the wind picked up and chilled her to the bone. This voice was similar to her fathers, but it was drawn out and sounded just as lost and hopeless as she had felt. Every time she thought she was walking closer to her father's voice, he would call from a different direction and sound more agitated than the last time.

More than once, there had been a scream, and fear raced up her throat so fast she thought she would throw up. Serena had never heard such a horrible sound! It started off as an abrupt yell of pain and transformed into a low, dangerous growl that sent off warning signals in her heard. Right before she woke up, she came upon Darien standing in the mouth of a very large cave. He was shaded from the moonlight, but his eyes were unusually bright and he looked like he had been expecting her. Nevertheless, he asked, _"What are you doing here? You need to leave, leave __**now**__!" _His voice rose with each word until he screamed the last one at her, his blue eyes rapidly turning silver and his muscles tensing. His voice sounded more deep and gravely, scaring her more than the intimidating forest did. Just as she was turning to run away, she woke up to the birds singing outside her window.

Serena sighed and ran a shaky hand down her sweaty face while she waiting for her foggy brain to clear. The images from the dream were beginning to fade but she could still hear Darien's desperate voice echo off the walls of her memory. Desperate? '_Yes'_, she decided, '_he had sounded desperate.' _This thought confused Serena. Why would he sound so desperate? She had thought he sounded rather angry at first, but now she felt that she mistook desperation for anger because she had been so scared at the time. '_Why am I thinking about this so much? It was only a silly dream… You're just stressed about being in a new, unfamiliar place, Buns.',_ Thinking this made her feel slightly better, and as she went to her wardrobe to find something to wear, she promised herself today was going to be a good day.

Serena quickly picked a thin, comfortable pair of dark blue skinny jeans and an equally comfortable magenta chiffon top. This top was one of her favorites because it wasn't heavy and the fabric allowed her skin to breathe on warm days like this. The top buttoned up the front to a cute collar, had white polka dots and three quarter length sleeves. The bottom of the top was elastic and hugged her hips in a rather form-fitting way. She also grabbed a simple, form fitting white spaghetti strap top to wear under her sheer one. Once dressed, she went to the balcony and opened the door to allow the cool morning breeze into her room. Darien's molten look from last night flashed through her mind and she looked over the edge of the railing. She sighed, unsure if she was relieved or disappointed. He wasn't there today. '_You're being foolish, why would he be there?',_ She argued with herself, '_It was just a coincidence to see him outside last night, he was probably on his way to his room.' _

But something nagged at her mind. '_Aren't all the bedrooms upstairs? Plus, he was standing at the edge of the forest, like he was either entering it or just coming out of it.',_ She was irritating herself, '_This isn't why you're here, Buns! You're here to be with your father, not obsess over the strange man your father works with!' _Pushing her inner conversation from her mind, she sat down at the vanity in the bathroom to tie her long blonde hair up into her signature bun and put on her makeup. She didn't wear much, just some mascara, tinted moisturizer and chapstick, but she enjoyed her simple routine. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror before getting up and finding a pair of simple black flats to wear for the day.

As Serena was bounding down the stairs towards the kitchen, she smelt the rich scent of coffee and smiled to herself. Yes, today would be a very good day. Something about the smell of coffee always lifted her spirits. She remembered that her mother always had a couple of cups of coffee in the morning, at least until she got sick. It was her morning routine. First, her mother would slowly pour the coffee into her cup, then hold the cup under her nose and take a long sniff of it and _only_ after she'd done that would she drink it. Then, she would wink at Serena and say, "My one, true addiction.", and wonder over to the kitchen table to read the newspaper. After her mother got sick, she didn't enjoy coffee anymore. Not the way she used to.

Pushing that thought from her head, she wondered if her father was planning on working today. It was Friday, after all, and even scientists had to have days off. She was turning the corner to the kitchen before she realized that the room wasn't empty. Mrs. Medlock was standing by the sink, washing dishes when she came. She looked surprised but Mrs. Medlock quickly regained her composure and said, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Serena put her hands behind her back and grinned sheepishly down at the floor, "Morning, ma'am and yes I did, thanks." She noticed the dishes Mrs. Medlock was washing, "Am I the last one up?"

Turning back to the dishes, Mrs. Medlock said, "Oh goodness, yes! Your father and his co-workers are always up at five a.m. to start the day. They've already been down in the lab for a good two or three hours."

"Oh! Well, they certainly are dedicated, aren't they?" Serena gave a nervous chuckle. Something about Mrs. Medlock made her feel like an awkward teenager again. It wasn't that she was rude, but she certainly made her feel young. Mrs. Medlock 'hmm'd quietly, but didn't look up from her dishes. "Well, I just came to get some coffee. Do you know if they plan on working all day? I thought, maybe, he would take the day off to spend with me…", she trailed off, hopefully.

Mrs. Medlock began rinsing her dishes and replied, "I doubt it, they all work very hard down there and don't take many days off."

Disappointment flooded Serena and she felt her shoulders slump, "Oh." She replied, lamely._ 'I wish he would have make room in his schedule for me…', _She thought.

Mrs. Medlock turned around and Serena was surprised to see a small flash of pity in her expression, but it was gone quickly. "Why don't you sit at the island counter and I'll make you something to eat? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you shouldn't miss it."

"Oh, I don't want to bother you…" Serena felt awkward having this woman she hardly knew wait on her like a servant.

Mrs. Medlock only shook her head, "Sit down, I'll make you a bagel and cream cheese."

Apparently, she wasn't going to take no for an answer, so Serena sat down on one of the lush stools while Mrs. Medlock poured her a cup of coffee and got started on her bagel. The kitchen really was impressive, surely a chef's dream. The refrigerator was to the right of the door and it was stainless steel with two doors. To the left of the fridge was a counter that held a caddy of knives, then the stove, then more counters that lined the rest of the wall, then wrapped around the back wall of the kitchen and onto the other side. Directly across the stove was the sink, and it had a charming curtained little window in front of it. To the left of the sink was one more counter cuddled by a trashcan that sat on top of a plastic rug. The counters held bowls of fruit, cake stands filled with pastries, a roll top bread container holding half a loaf, a microwave and the coffee maker. Everything was spotless and Serena found the pale-yellow of the tiles to be very comforting. She noticed a fluffy cream colored rug in front of the sink and a large rack of pans hanging above the island she sat at. If she was any good at cooking, or enjoyed it at all, she would want a kitchen just like this. But, Serena preferred to be the one eating, not the one cooking.

By the time Serena had looked at just about everything in the kitchen, including the cute lazy Suzan in the middle of the island that held napkins and a vase of daisies, Mrs. Medlock was setting her bagel down in front of her with a jar of strawberry jam. "Your father told me that you liked strawberry."

Serena was surprised, "Oh, has my father told you a lot about me?" Calling him father still felt a bit alien to her, but she pushed the thought from her mind.

Instantly Mrs. Medlock stiffened, "It was just something he mentioned in passing. We don't talk much, or anything. He's always busy, you know." Serena noticed she was wringing her hands in front of her slightly, almost nervously. '_Why would she be so nervous?',_ She decided not to say anything and move onto a different subject.

"I wonder if he would be okay with me going down to the lab to visit him?" she asked and opened the jar of jam. She didn't notice Mrs. Medlock stiffen or clench her hands by her sides. But she _did_ notice her tone of voice, "No, that's not a good idea. He doesn't like distractions when he's working." She said curtly. Serena looked up to see Mrs. Medlock looking down her nose at her with her lips pursed.

"I wouldn't distract him, I would just like to see where he spends most of his time…" She trailed off as Mrs. Medlock's expression got colder.

"No.", Serena thought that was all she would say, but she added, "Maybe you should go find a good book in the library? There are thousands of them.", and then she turned back to rinsing off her dishes.

Serena's shoulders slumped and she had just opened her mouth rather wide to take a bite of her bagel when Darien walked in. She shut her mouth with a snap once she saw him and blushed. He noticed her and nodded a good morning. She gave a shy smile and nodded back. '_Where's your voice gone, Buns?' _

Before she could think of something to say, Darien spoke up from his spot against the counter," Still here, are you? I thought those awful screams last night would have scared you away."

She blinked at him, "I thought I dreamt those…"

He looked at her over the rim of his coffee cup and clenched the fingers of his other hand against the counter top he was leaning against, then shook his head. "No, we've been hearing screams like that for a few months now. No one knows who or what it is. Nothing has been seen." His eyes were boring into her and she felt uneasy. '_Is he trying to scare me?' _

He turned to talk to Mrs. Medlock about what was for lunch and Serena felt glad to be away from the probing gaze. She noticed he had a bit of a stubble on the trim line of his jaw and his deep blue dress shirt and black slacks seemed wrinkled, like he just threw them on. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up in a casual way and showed off his muscular forearms nicely. She didn't realize she had been checking him out until he turned to look at her again, "Well, I better get down to the lab," he gave her a curt nod and passed his cup to Mrs. Medlock, "see you at lunch." and with at he was gone. She barely had time to mumble a "see you" before he left.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she asked Mrs. Medlock, "He doesn't keep the same schedule as the other scientists?"

Mrs. Medlock gave her a look, then looked in the direction Darien had left before saying, "He keeps his own schedule." and began washing Darien's cup.

Highly uncomfortable and more than a little confused, Serena let the conversation drop. Feeling the strange tension and mystery in the room, Serena quickly ate her bagel and sucked down her coffee before thanking Mrs. Medlock and escaping to the library. She stared longingly at the door that she knew led down to the lab before admitting that Mrs. Medlock was most likely right. After all, she had been around her father more recently than Serena and must know how he preferred to work. Still feeling a bit put out, she decided to take Mrs. Medlock's advice and find a good book. She picked out a mystery book that seemed promising but quickly lost interest in it. Her dream from last night kept coming back to her. '_What's so scary about the forest? It just a bunch of trees… I'll bet it's just the fact that I'm in a new place that gives me the creeps about it.', _She thought to herself.

Sighing, she put the book back and walked to the window next to the door that led outside. The sun was out, not a single cloud in the sky, and there seemed to be a pleasant breeze fluttering the leaves on the trees. It looked welcoming enough, but there was still warning signals going off in the back of her mind. '_I'm not going to let this silly dream keep me cooped up inside all day.',_ She thought and squared her shoulders before pushing the door open. Serena stepped out onto a small patio that she didn't notice before and felt the pleasant breeze on her face. The door shut behind her with a quiet _snick_ sound and she saw there were a couple patio chair and a small glass table facing the forest. They looked like they were caked with dirt, like someone hadn't actually used them in a long while. But, the air was fresh and the wind blew her bangs across her forehead, so she took a deep breath and walked to the forest. Serena stopped at the edge and noticed the sunlight slant through the branches, realizing the forest seemed pretty peaceful today.

Smiling a little, she stepped into the forest and listened to the birds chirping and watching them flitter from one tree to the other. She absorbed herself in the peaceful sounds and sights of the forest, like the birds and the bunnies munching by some bushes. She quickly lost track of time and didn't realize that the trees were becoming denser until she scraped her arm on the bark of one. Serena paused to see if she was bleeding when she noticed that it was completely and utterly silent. Her eyes widened. The birds weren't chirping, the rabbits and bush animals had stopped running around. The only sound she heard was the wind, but the pleasant sunlight from earlier was cut off from the dense trees. These trees were so much taller than the ones at the edge of the forest, and her dream flashed in her mind's eye. '_You need to get back to the mansion, Buns. Something's wrong.',_ She thought, and she turned and power walked back the way she came. It was warm outside, but she was freezing and her hands were clammy. Something in the forest scared the birds and animals so much that they got quiet, but what was the something? Did she really want to know?

A branch behind her snapped and she broke out into a sprint. Serena didn't care that branches were scratching her arms and pulling her hair from her bun, all she knew was that something was following her and it was evil. Whatever _it_ was, was bad and it meant to do her harm. Her rational mind was fogged over by her fear and all she could think of was that if this _thing_ caught her, she was as good as dead. Briefly, relief flooded her when she saw the grungy patio chairs beyond the edge of the forest, but that relief was quickly replaced by a much thicker kind of fear. Forgetting the evil being behind her, her sprint came to a screeching halt and a loud shriek shot out of her mouth and echoed around her. Just at the edge of the forest was a dead animal, she knew that much. What she didn't know is what it _had been _or _how_ it got there. The poor thing was far too maimed to be recognizable and the blood that pooled around it was still fresh and flowing.

Her breakfast threatened to erupt from her throat and at that moment, she heard more branches braking behind her and at a faster pace. The _thing_! It was still chasing her and she was just standing there like an invitation! Adrenaline raced through her veins and she jumped over the mutilated remains of the animal and made a run for the door to the library. Goosebumps broke out on her skin and she lost a shoe, but was too terrified to even think about going back to get it. Serena could practically feel the breath of the beast on her neck as her fingers closed around the door knob. '_I'm so close!', _She thought, but screamed again as the door knob was ripped form her fingers and the door flew open.

**-3-**

***A/N:**

Phew! I bet lots of you thought this story was never going to be updated! I'm sorry that I'm such a slow worker :/ But, I've said before that I will be finishing this story, and I mean to keep that promise! I really do hate it when people start stories, but never finish them. I don't have much to say, but I hope this chapter wasn't boring to anyone and if there's any spelling mistakes, please let me know! Also, if you think something could be worded better, just tell me. Sometimes, I have trouble describing something, so I'm sure there are spots in this chapter that don't make much sense. Thanks!


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